W Trek or O Circuit: which one to choose
Comparing the two classic routes in Torres del Paine after walking both.
Most visitors walk the W Trek: four or five days through the most famous viewpoints. The O Circuit adds the remote back side of the massif and takes about eight days.
The W Trek
Busier, but the scenery is outstanding every day: the towers, the French Valley and Grey Glacier. Refugios make it possible to walk without carrying a tent or cooking gear.
The O Circuit
Quieter, wilder and harder. The John Gardner Pass is exposed and can be closed in bad weather. The view of the southern ice field from the top is one of the best I have ever seen.
My verdict
If you have time and some trekking experience, choose the O. If not, the W is still one of the finest walks in the world.
Tip: Walk the W from west to east if you want the towers at the end as a reward.